Pronunciation

How to pronounce “inference

“inference” is pronounced /ˈɪnfɚəns/ (IN-fuh-uhns) in American English and /ɪnfəɹəns/ in British English — 3 syllables, stressed on “ɪn”.
The sound

Say “inference” in 3 beats

Say it like this

inference

/ˈɪnfɚəns/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /ɪnfəɹəns/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

3 beats
  1. ɪnɪnstress
  2. ənsəns
IPA (American)
/ˈɪnfɚəns/
IPA (British)
/ɪnfəɹəns/
Respelling
IN-fuh-uhns
Syllables
3 — ꞮN-fɚ-əns
Stress
Stress the first syllable: ꞮN-fɚ-əns. “ɪn” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Part of speech
noun
Difficulty
Pro — the sounds are ordinary, the rhythm is where it slips
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ˈɪnfɚəns/

British

/ɪnfəɹəns/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “inference” means

  1. noun

    the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation

Say it in a sentence

That inference rests on a single blurred photograph.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

5 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

inference”, answered

How do you pronounce “inference”?

“inference” is pronounced /ˈɪnfɚəns/ (IN-fuh-uhns) in American English and /ɪnfəɹəns/ in British English — 3 syllables, stressed on “ɪn”. Build it as ꞮN-fɚ-əns, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “inference” have?

3: ɪn · fɚ · əns. The beat lands on the first, “ɪn”.

Is “inference” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˈɪnfɚəns/ (IN-fuh-uhns); British English says /ɪnfəɹəns/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “inference” mean?

As a noun: the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation For example: “That inference rests on a single blurred photograph.”

Where is the stress in “inference”?

Stress the first syllable: ꞮN-fɚ-əns. “ɪn” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “inference” and see every sound

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